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E. J. MOLERA an J. C. (HERMAN.l APPARATUS POR MAKING CARBON PLATES.

No. 278,355. Patented May 29,1883.

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APPARATUS POP MAKING GARBON PLATES. No. 278,355. PatentedlVIay 29,1883.

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APPARATUS Fon MAKING CARBON PLATr-:s

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 278,355,- dated May 29, 1883.

' i Application filed January 27,1883. v(Nomcdel.) Y

T o all whom it may concern.- t

Beit known that We, EUSEBIUSJ; MOLERA and JOHN (l. GEBRIAN,of San Francisco, in the county of San Francisco and State of Galifornia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes of and Apparatus for Making Carbon Plates for Secondary Batteries; and we do herebydeclarethe following to `be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same.

Our invention `1elates to an improved process of and apparatus for making carbon plates for secondary batteries, the object beingtoproduce plates which will have hat, even surfaces and be of uniform shape.

ln the accompanying drawings, Figure l represents a view in vertical section of our apparatus. Fig. 2 is a similar view ofa modification. Fig. 3 is a view in perspective of one of the plates or slabs before carbonization, and Fig. 4 is a similar view of one of the carbonized plates. Fig. 5 is a moditication.

We take maple,` box-wood, or any close-V grained wood and .y saw it. into slabs A pf the l, desired size, or make the slabs or pieces A of thick pasteboard. rllhese slabsor pieces A are then placed into anliron retort, B,`the lower piece being placed on the bottom ofthe retort, `while between the pieces we` prefer to place layers of powdered or pulverized carbon-as,

for instance, lamp-black. Upon the uppermost piece ofthe pile we place a block, C, con-` sistin g of an alloy composed of brass or tin, or antimony and tin, or antimony, tin, and bis,- muth, substantially in the proportions employed in the manufacture of type-metal. We do not restrict ourselves to any particular alloy, the object being to employ an alloy that will expand in the same or nearly the same ratio as the contraction ofthe material to be carbonized.` The retort-lid D is securely fastened in place and serves to force the blocks C (one or more) in snug contact with the uppermost plate of the pile. y A pipe, E, communicates t with the lid, the outer end ofthe pipe extending into a body of water, F, and being sealed thereby. The retorts are placed in a furnace and subjected toa lightheat, and the' vapors and gases resulting from the carhonization of the inclosed material are allowed to escape through the pipe E and into the body of water, the latter serving to prevent ingress of air to the interior ofthe retort. Duringthe first stages of the carbonization the pieces or slabs A are rapidly reduced in bulk,iwhile on the other hand 'the bulk of the blocks C is rapidly increased, owing to the expansive effect ofthe heat. Thus as the pieces A shrink and contraotin size a corresponding increase in the size ofthe blocks O, owing to the expansion by the heat, operates to preserve an even and continuous pressure on the pile ot' slabs and prevent them from warping. j As the operation proceeds, the shrinkage of the plates or slabs materially decreases, while a corresponding increase occurs in the expansion of the blocks, so that throughout the entire carbonization ofthe slabs or pieces A they are subjected toa practically even and uniform pressure throughout their entire surfaces, and thus thecompleted carbon plate is produced with liatand even sides, and, furthermore, a very slight percentage of broken plates results. When the pieces Vor slabs are comparatively dry before being introduced into the retort they may be placed in direct contact with each fother, as illustrated in Fig. 2, and on the up.- permost plate a layer of pulverizcd carbon is placed, While upon such layer is placed an iron or'metal plate, F', which servesto support the blocks (l.- l The coefficient of expansion and contraction of the alloy blocks and the slabs or pieces A is so nearly alike throughout the different stages of carbonization that it enables us by our improved process to produce carbon plates with perfectly flat sides and without the necessity for constant attendance, thereby rendering the process not only effectual, but economical in practice.

Instead ot' employing the blocks, we may use the form of apparatus shown in Fig. 5, wherein a follower, G, is employed, said follower being forced ,downward by the screw H as the carbonization proceeds.

It is evident that many slight changes may be made in the construction and arrangement ofthe parts composing the apparatus, and also. that deviations may be made inthe steps of 10o `t-heprocess described; and hence wcwould have it understood that we do not limitoury EusEBius J; Moni-JBA AND JoHN c. oEBRrAN, or sAN FRANcisco, cAL. l

selves to the exact construction of apparatus 'or to the particular steps of the process described; but,

Having fully described our invention, what We claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. An apparatus for making carbon plates, consisting of a closed retort, a follower located` within the closed retort, and devices en gaginp; said follower and lid or cover of the retort for subjecting the pieces or slabs to'pressure during the process of oarbonization, substantially as set forth.

2. An apparatus for making carbon plates, consistingvof a closed retort having an escapepipe provided with a liquid seal, of a follower located within the retort', and expansible pressure-blocks located between the follower and lid ofthe retort, substantially as set forth.

3. An apparatus for making carbon plates, 2o

consisting of a closed retort, a follower-plate, and one or more blocks of metal alloy inter- .posed'between the follower and lid of the retort, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof we have signed this 25 specification in the presence of two subscrib `ing witnesses.- f

EUSEBIUS J. MOLERA. JOHN C. CEBRIAN. 

